It Goes Like This
by Blue Leah
Summary: One Shots featuring Tristan, Maya, Tori, Winnie Oh, Sav, Holly J, Mia, Peter, Isabella, Jenna, Derek, Liberty, JT, Eli, Clare, Ms. Sauvé, Owen, and Marisol.
1. Gone, Gone, Gone

**NaNoWriMo is National Novel Writing Month. A fanfiction is not a novel and writing three separate stories in one-shots is not a novel, either. But, it's up to me and this is what I want to do. I hope this keeps my creative juices flowing all month. I am working on three stories and since I don't do Sundays or Thanksgiving that should be eight one-shots each with one getting an extra, if all goes well. Good luck to me! Check out my profile for a more detailed explanation.**

**Gone, Gone, Gone**

Tori Santamaria and Tristan Milligan had been friends since they didn't know when. They were in band together. Tristan helped Tori get together with Zig Novak and then over Zig and then back together with Zig and they both hoped for the final time, over him. They watched _West Drive_ together. They worked on a _West Drive_ vlog together, _The West Drive Experience_. They started Degrassi Community School together and befriended Maya Matlin. And even though Tristan wasn't into girls he would gladly accept that his first kiss was with his best friend, Tori.

"And now you're leaving," Tristan whined.

Tristan, Tori, and Maya had gathered in front of Tori's house on her moving day, the temperature almost 70 degrees F (over 20 degrees C). Her parents were directing men what to do with boxes and furniture that they put on a moving van. They watched as boxes full of Tori's pageant crowns, trophies, and ribbons were carried out to the van.

"Be careful with those!" She shouted.

"We will, ma'am." The mover pretended to tip his hat to Tori.

"My dad got a new job in Alberta. It pays more. And you know, new pageants for me to win."

"But what about our friendship? Does it not mean anything to you?"

"Of course it does, Tristan, but this is out of my control."

"And what about our vlog? We do that together! We watch _West Drive_ together! What about that?"

"We'll always have _West Drive_."

"But we won't be able to watch it together or work on our vlog!"

"Maya will help you with the vlog."

"No Maya will not," Maya spoke up with a laugh.

"There's always cell phones and the internet," Tori waved her cell phone. "We'll call each other and watch _West Drive_ together and the vlog? We can do that over the internet together. We don't have to stop it just because I'm moving away."

"Or I could just do it by myself," Tristan muttered.

"What? You know how to edit video together and what not. Don't worry. The only thing that's going to change is that I live in another province and we don't go to school together."

"That's a big difference."

"Ready to go, Tori?" Mrs. Santamaria asked stepping out the front door. "We have to leave in fifteen minutes to catch our flight."

"Yes, ma'am." Tori turned to Tristan and gave him a strong hug. "I am going to miss you. I really don't want to move."

"I don't want you to move, either!"

"I don't want to be the new kid. I won't know anyone and I'll have new girls to compete with at pageants. They'll all know each other and the secrets about the judges. I'll be so far behind."

"No, you won't. You'll steal the show. You always do."

"And you," she pulled Tristan away at arm's length to look at him, "you! With your bleach blond hair and skinny body! I won't get to see you take over Degrassi!"

"We could have taken over Degrassi together. Now, it's just me and Maya."

"Gee, thanks. What am I chopped liver?" Maya asked jokingly.

"You know what I mean!"

"Tori!" Her father shouted from the garage.

"Coming!" She turned to Maya. "We had our rough patches, but I think overall we had a good year."

"Considering," Maya said.

"Considering," Tori repeated. "Hey, you taught me things about myself. You help make me a better person. Thank you."

Maya stood there a bit shocked at Tori's words. She never thought Tori to be this compassionate of a person. She usually just blurted out whatever she was feeling not caring (or honestly, knowing) if it hurt the other person.

"You were my first friend at Degrassi." Maya wrapped her arms around Tori. They had been through a lot with Zig and the pageant, and then Cam but in the end they were friends. Maybe not as close as they had been at their closest point during the school year, but still friends.

"You've got Tristan, who is an excellent friend. The bestest."

"That's right, Maya. We're gonna go and rule France."

"France?" Tori pulled Maya away. "What about France?"

Maya and Tristan exchanged looks.

"Um," Tristan began. "The French Immersion class is going on a summer trip to France. We didn't want to tell you because you're moving. We didn't want to disappoint you."

"France! I'm moving and you get to go to France! This is so not fair."

"If your parents hadn't already enrolled you in your new school in Alberta perhaps you could have come with us," Tristan said.

"This is so not fair! This is so my parents fault! My mom wanted me to get into school and get started on summer reading." She held up her copy of _Obasan_ by Joy Kagawa and rolled her eyes.

"Tori, we're leaving!" Her mother called out.

"I really gotta go. Don't have fun in France without me."

Tristan and Maya each hugged Tori one more time before she disappeared into her garage. They watched as the Santamaria car pulled out of the driveway and down the street waving until it drove out of sight. Tori said the car was going to be delivered to their house in Alberta in a few days, not getting there as fast as they would by flying.

"Well, that's that," Tristan said sadly.

"Yep, that's that," Maya repeated.

The two made their way from the old Santamaria house to Degrassi's hangout, The Dot. They didn't talk much already missing their friend, Tristan probably more than Maya.

* * *

**"Gone Gone Gone" by Philip Phillips**


	2. Roar

**This is Winnie Oh's thoughts on dating Sav Bhandari. And then Sav's thoughts on Ms. Oh.**

**Roar**

What can I say? What should I say? Technically, I shouldn't say anything. He's a student and I'm a teacher. If anyone finds out about this we're dead. Well, I'm dead. I'm fired. I think he'd be suspended or perhaps expelled. Is it worth the risk?

Yes.

Sav Bhandari is worth it. Even if it's just a "school year fling", he is so very worth it.

He's not like other students at Degrassi. He's more mature. Hotter, too. OK, I shouldn't admit that, but he is! I heard story of him getting his ex-girlfriend pregnant and handling it like a true gentleman. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on how you want to look at it) she miscarried. I'm sure he would have been a great father. But, still being in school, he is too young for that. Age wise.

We have so much in common. For one thing, we're both Asian. I guess that shouldn't be important but I really do enjoy that fact.

Music. That's what we really have in common. I love music and Sav loves music. Along with duties as the Media Immersion teacher I also teach music. I hope to start a band class here at Degrassi. I know some interested students, but right now we don't have enough. Hopefully, we'll get them. Sav would be one of the students in my band class, if I had one. He is very talented. He wants a career in music but his father is pushing him toward engineering. We will be losing one of our great musical minds if we let him go that route.

Earlier in his high school career I found out he was a member of a band, The Studz, which became Janie and the Studz and then Janie and the Studz featuring Peter Stone. Sav played the bass guitar. They recorded a song, actually I think it might have been the entire soundtrack, for a Jason Mewes movie, _Mewesical_, which starred another Degrassi grad; I never met her.

I know this only a fling, something that will end when school is over. My head says that's good, but my heart asks why can't it last longer? Are my feelings for Sav strong and real or is it just infatuation?

.

Ms. Oh. Winnie Oh. What can I say? From the moment I saw her I felt something. Is it attraction? Is it infatuation? Is it love? I don't know. I have had other girlfriends—Anya MacPherson, Holly J. Sinclair, but none of them make me feel the way Winnie does.

Is it wrong to call her Winnie? She is my teacher. But, she's more than that and for that I think I have the right to call her Winnie. We're together. I should be able to call my girlfriend by her first name.

She's so much more than anything I've ever had before. She's so mature and honest. Well, I guess I can't really say that with us having to hide our relationship. That's not honest. But, she's honest with me. I appreciate that. I've had a few girlfriends who haven't been so honest.

Winnie gets me. She gets my love for music. It's not just a hobby. It's a passion. If my parents could talk to her maybe they could understand why I need to continue on with music and not engineering.

Winnie is something special.

Only one other person knows I have feelings for her and that's Mo Mashkour. I trust him not to tell anyone. He knows word that Winnie Oh is dating a student, even if that student is me, is bad news.

No one is supposed to know Ms. Oh is dating a student. Teachers are forbidden from dating students. By that notion I would say students are forbidden from dating teachers. She could get fired, get her teacher's license revoked, have her whole life ruined because she's dating me. To think she's putting herself at this kind of risk to date me.

Am I worth it?

* * *

**I know not very deep, but it is what it is. It was a challenge, a challenge I decided to take on. I've never written about Ms. Oh or Sav before so trying to come up with their thoughts on each other was something new.**


	3. The Way It Is

**The Way It Is**

When Heather Sinclair went to high school the Sinclair house was in the Degrassi School District but by the time her sister, Holly J. was ready for high school, their house had been rezoned for Lakehurst. But, now, Heather's sister was going to attend Heather's alma mater anyway.

Lakehurst had burnt to the ground.

"You're gonna rule Degrassi," Heather told Holly J. over lunch at The Dot, a popular Degrassi hangout.

"Just like I did Lakehurst."

Heather smiled. She had ambitions of her own to take over Degrassi, but for some reason she could never get her face out there.

"You need to get rid of that friend of yours," Heather said.

"Anya? Why?"

"She's going to bring you down. You can't get anywhere with her. She's such a pushover."

"You got that right. But, I like her. I'm not just going to get rid of her. However…I can bring her down a notch or two."

"Or three. Who's that?" Heather asked spotting a cute Indian boy pick an outdoor table with a younger Indian girl who was possibly middle school age.

"Sav Bhandari," Holly J. replied wondering how he found out about another's school hangout spot.

"He's cute."

"Yeah, he's also sort of a geek, I mean, he collects stickers."

"I dunno," Heather looks at him dreamily. "He's still hot."

Holly J. shrugged. Sav, hot? She'd never really considered it, but yeah, maybe…

"Make him your boyfriend," Heather demanded.

"What?"

"Yes, make him your boyfriend. I think he can help you on your rise to the top. He'll be able to get you some of the girl votes."

"What do I need girl votes for?"

"You're going to run for president of the student council, of course."

"Yes, yes, if I want to rule the school I need to be president." Holly wickedly. "Too bad I hear The Shep isn't going to be principal."

"Why would you think he would? Degrassi already has a principal, Mrs. Hatzilakos." Heather shook her head. Her sister was going to a lot of work.

"If The Shep was principal he'd just appoint me as the student body president. We had already talked about it about a week ago. Had Lakehurst not burnt down I would have been student council president next year."

"Well, now you're actually gonna have to earn some votes, but I have complete faith in you."

Holly J. watched Sav talk to his sister. She did have to admit he was cute, but there's that whole sticker book thing, and well, he and Holly J. didn't exactly get along very well. That didn't matter, did it? She could overcome that. Holly J could overcome anything.

"We're going to do it. I mean, I'm going to do it. I ruled Lakehurst and now I'm going to rule Degrassi. Hey, isn't that school where the boy was stabbed and died?"

"By someone at your school," Heather replied.

Holly J. groaned.

"That's going to make it a tough hill to climb."

"Nothing I can't handle. I'm Holly J. Sinclair, darn it!"


	4. The Sweetest Thing

**The Sweetest Thing**

Set during Season 8.

"That's really gross," Peter Stone commented as his girlfriend, Mia Jones, sneezed and then wiped her nose with a handkerchief she'd been carrying around.

"Gee, thanks, boyfriend." Mia grabbed a few books out of her locker. "I can't afford to get sick! I have a modeling shoot this afternoon. My mom's got a business trip this weekend so I have no one to help me with Izzie. I've got a test in math on Monday to study for and a paper in English to write!" She groaned and coughed into her elbow.

"I'm here for you." Peter pulled the wailing Mia into a hug. "I'll help you with Isabella and studying and writing and getting better."

"Thanks. Do you know anything about taking care of a little kid?"

"You've seen me with my baby sister, Angel."

"Yeah, okay." She gave him a small smile.

Mia sat in her dressing room holding her head. She had been through wardrobe and makeup already. They'd put tons of makeup on her to make her look fresh and healthy, because she was anything but. She had a nasty cough. Her nose was dripping senselessly. Her head felt like a thousand drummers were parading around in it. She wanted to go home.

Going home at the moment was a no, though. She had an obligation and it could ruin her modeling cred if she didn't see it through.

"Ms. Jones, we're waiting."

Mia slowly stood up from the chair she was sitting in. The room spun around her, but after grabbing hold of the table in front of her, she was able to regain her balance.

"Are you okay?" One of the stagehands asked.

"No, I'm not okay!" She wanted to scream, but instead said, "I'm fine."

"All right. They're waiting."

Slowly, Mia made her way to the set where three young women and one young man were standing looking way sexier than Mia felt at the moment. For about half an hour she did as she was directed and finally the shoot was over. She quickly, well as quickly as she felt like considering her head was killing her, stripped out of her modeling clothes and into her street wear.

"You'll be okay while I'm gone?" Mrs. Jones asked her daughter.

"We'll have a good time," Mia grabbed her daughter in a giant hug, "won't we, Bella?"

"Yes!" Isabella declared.

"I'm just a phone call away if you need me." Mrs. Jones kissed her daughter and her granddaughter both on the cheeks, grabbed her suitcase, and headed out the door.

"OK, Izzie, let Mommy lay here for a minute and then I'll get dinner ready." Mia laid down on the couch and placed Isabella next to her.

Sometime later Isabella patted her mom's arm.

"Hungry!" She declared. "Hungry!"

"Shh, Izzie, Mommy's sleeping."

"No, Mommy's making dinner."

"Mommy doesn't feel good."

A knock on the door made Mia groan. Before she could say or do anything in walked Peter carrying two bags of take-out.

"I brought dinner," he announced.

"Yea!" Isabella exclaimed.

Peter set the bags on the coffee table, picked Isabella up, and sat down next to Mia.

"You said your mom was leaving early and I figured you wouldn't feel like making dinner for Izzie so I stopped by The Dot before coming over."

"Thank you."

"Hungry, Bella?" Peter opened the bag and pulled out hamburgers and French fries.

"Yea! Thank you, Peter."

"No, uh, vegetables?" Mia joked.

"Hey, this is a treat. Isabella deserves a treat, right?"

Biting into a fry, Isabella nodded.

"Anyway, potato is a vegetable, I think."

"I don't feel like fighting," Mia mumbled.

"Do you feel like eating?" Peter opened a box to give to Mia. She shook her head. "You need to eat to fight your…whatever your illness is."

"A greasy hamburger?" She made a face.

"Does your stomach hurt?"

"No, just my head. I feel like a leaky faucet."

Peter rubbed her cheek.

"Well, you look a lot sexier than a leaky faucet."

"What a compliment."

"Here, eat some." Peter practically shoved a fry in her mouth.

"I get it," Mia said after swallowing. "You're trying to choke me."

"Why would I wanna do that?"

"Drink," Isabella spoke up.

"Right, I forgot about that." Peter went into the kitchen and got a glass of water for Mia, a soda for him, and milk for Isabella.

After eating and giving Mia a cold pill as they determined she probably had a bad cold, Peter, Mia, and Isabella sat in the den watching movies. It was getting past Isabella's bed time but Mia didn't have the energy and strength to fight with her so she let her stay up with them.

Mia woke up later that night or early that morning however you wanted to look at it Mia awoke on the couch with the blanket wrapped around her. The DVD that had been playing had ended was showing the main screen playing the annoying repeating main screen music. She reached for a remote and finding the television one she turned it off even though the DVD player was still running. She looked down at the sleeping couple. Leaning against the foot of the couch was Peter his head lolled, off in dream land. Laying against his chest, also off in dream land, was Isabella.

Instead of waking them up and letting them get into beds or at the very least on the floor stretched out, Mia turned over and went back to sleep.

"You look better," Peter greeted Mia when he woke up the next morning. He rolled his neck not believing how stiff it was from just falling asleep against the couch.

"I feel better." She sat up, smiling. "We need to put her to bed."

Peter carried Isabella to her bedroom with Mia following. As soon as they laid her down, Isabella woke up, leaned over, and threw up on the carpet. Isabella groaned with tears following.

"Oh, baby!" Mia sat down on the bed and cradled her daughter in her lap.

"I don't feel good."

"I know, Izzie, I know." Mia pleaded with her eyes at Peter for some type of help. "Just lay here and we'll help you get better."

"My tummy hurts."

"I know, baby. Peter?" Mia turned to her boyfriend.

"On it," he replied without even waiting for Mia to tell him what to do. She hoped he knew she was going to ask him to retrieve the medicine.

"Did your tummy hurt yesterday?" Isabella asked as Mia tucked her back into bed.

"No, but my head sure did. I feel better now and can take care of you."

Peter returned with the medicine which Isabella refused to take but eventually Mia got it in her daughter. She rubbed her back and read her stories until Isabella fell asleep. As Mia read, Peter cleaned up the vomit as best he could.

"This is going to be fun," Mia said to Peter as they cuddled on the couch together. "I feel a lot better, but I'm still a little sick and I have to write my English essay and study for my math test."

"I'm here to help in any way I can."

"Thank you." Mia leaned her head back. "I wish I could sit here all day with you, but I really need to get to work on my homework." She looked at Peter. "Don't you have any homework?"

"None that can't wait until you're done."

"Peter?..."

"You come first."

"Peter!"

"What?"

"Ugh!"

"Ugh to you, too."

"Well, I have to begin work on my essay."

"Why don't you take a break?" Peter asked thirty minutes later as he placed a sandwich in front of Mia. "You need to eat something."

"I need to work on my essay. I can't afford to take a break. I've written exactly three sentences," she sniffled.

"You're still sick. You keep going like this you'll get worse."

"Mommy!" Isabella shouted.

Mia had only just begun the introduction to her essay on Romeo and Juliet. She had been sitting there for an hour, but the only thing that came was the opening sentence.

"Peter?"

"I'll go see what she wants."

Mia buried her head in her hands. She was nowhere near anything on her essay and her head was starting to hurt again. She wanted to scream, but didn't want to disturb anyone.

"Mia!" Peter called out. "Izzie wants you."

"Great," she mumbled to herself. Of course she did. She's the mom. "Coming."

"Mommy, come sit with me."

"I need to…" Mia started but the pleading look in her daughter's eyes got her. She laid down beside her sick daughter.

Three hours later Mia opened her eyes to find she had fallen asleep in Isabella's bed. The rest felt good, but she'd lost time on her homework. She carefully slipped out of bed to not wake her daughter. Mia's head still hurt but she felt like she could get a good work on her essay.

That night Mia felt good about all she had accomplished.

"You've been working hard."

"I have to. I'm taking care of a sick daughter, sick me, and only written half this essay."

"I've helped!"

"Yes, you've been a big help." She wanted to kiss him, but she was still dealing with her cold so she refrained from it. "I couldn't have done this without you. Now, will you write my essay for me?"

Peter chuckled.

"I haven't even begun studying for my math test."

"Well, let's take a break from the essay and do that."

Mia sighed and placed her head on the table.

"Too much work. Weekend for break."

"I agree with you there, but you want to pass, don't you?"

"That would be appreciated. I'm really glad I don't have any modeling shoots scheduled this weekend."

"Me, too."

Mia gathered her math materials and handed the notebook to Peter so he could quiz her. The minute he opened his mother a tiny voice was heard calling for her mother. Rolling her eyes, Mia went to check on her daughter.

"My head hurts," she sniffled.

"I think it's time for more medicine."

"No!"

"Come on, Izzie. I don't have the energy to fight." Mia went to the medicine cabinet and got the proper meds for Isabella. "Peter, bring me a glass of water for Bella." She sat on the bed and coaxed her daughter into taking the medicine.

"One glass for the princess." Peter handed the glass to the little girl who gulped it down to get rid of the medicine-y taste.

"Can I play with you?" Isabella asked her mother.

"We're doing homework right now."

"Can I sit with you?" She begged adding her cute little eyes.

"Okay, but mommy's gotta study and Peter's gotta help her, okay?"

"Okay."

Mia took Isabella into the living room where Peter had laid out all her books. She sat on the couch, placed her daughter in her lap, and as Peter quizzed her on mathematical equations and terms, she rubbed Izzie's back. Soon enough, little Isabella had fallen asleep.

"Well, that's good," Mia commented. "Now if I can just get half these questions right."

"You're doing good."

"No, I'm not!"

"Sh, you'll wake up Izzie."

Mia looks down at the sleeping girl while laughing on the inside because it's Peter telling her what to do.

"You're smiling. You haven't smiled all day."

"I've been sick, taking care of a sick child, and trying to do my homework all day."

"Yes, and you need to smile or else you'll crack."

"Crack? I feel like I've already cracked."

Peter rubbed her cheek causing Mia to smile even more.

"Smiling, laughing, makes you feel better."

"How do you know?"

"I want to kiss you right now."

"I have a cold."

"Maybe you're no longer contagious."

Mia held up her hand.

"Kiss the hand cause the mouth doesn't want to get you sick."

Peter rolled his eyes and reluctantly laid a big juicy wet one on the palm of his girlfriend's right hand.

"I shall never wash this hand again," Mia sighed dramatically.

"Mommy!" Isabella called out the next morning while lying comfortably in her own bed.

"Hey, sweetie, you look like you feel better!"

"I go outside and play?"

"You're getting over being sick. Why don't we stay inside and play a game? Do you feel like eating breakfast?"

Isabella nodded excitedly. Mia picked her up and carried her to the kitchen.

"Someone looks to be feeling better." Peter squeezed Isabella's socked foot causing her to giggle.

"Thank you, Peter. I couldn't have handled this without you."

"That's what boyfriends are for."

"No, that's what exceptional boyfriends are for. I can name at least one who wouldn't have stepped in like this in any form or fashion."

"Can I kiss you now?"

Mia leaned over and placed her lips upon Peter's.

"Ew!" Isabella exclaimed with a giggle.


	5. How We Do

**This is a story looking at what if two characters who did not attend Degrassi at the same time did so and started dating.**

**How We Do**

"You're such a creep," Jenna Middleton shouted across the hallway of Degrassi Community School to Derek Haig.

Derek visibly winked at Jenna as he let the insult slide off his chest. Jenna wanted to slap him when she saw the wink. He was going to blow their plan!

"Ugh!" She exclaimed partly as part of the plan and partly because he was ruining it!

"How'd I do?" Derek asked when they snuck away into a classroom together.

Jenna rolled her eyes.

"I know you liked it." He ran his hands up and down her arms.

Jenna had to admit Derek was creepy. He tried to be smooth and alluring but came off…well, not. But, there was something that drew her to him. Maybe it was his nose or his curly hair or the way he…

Jenna sighed. She knew the reason. Derek Haig was adopted. Jenna had just recently given her son up for adoption. She helped Derek understand what she felt and he helped her understand what he felt. Through this process they grew close.

She couldn't believe it. Derek was the total opposite of anyone she'd ever date. He was a weird, prejudiced little kid who liked getting into trouble and being well, a whiny kid. She had nothing against the bad boy. She'd dated a few over the years. But, Derek wasn't a bad boy. He was just a…boy.

"What are you thinking about?" Derek asked.

"You."

"Me?"

"Thanks."

"What for?"

"Helping me through one of the most difficult times in my life."

"I did that?"

"Yes. Giving Tyson up was the most difficult decision of my life. Talking to you about it, hearing your side of things, really helped put everything into perspective. I know I'm doing the right thing for him. The absolute best thing would be for his birth mother to be able to afford monetarily and time wise to take care of him, but since that's not possible, I'm giving the best life he can have."

"Yeah. I didn't understand why my mom gave me up. You've helped me understand that it was one of the biggest acts of love she could show me."

Jenna put her arms around Derek and kissed him passionately.


	6. Got My Mind Set On You

**Got My Mind Set On You**

Liberty Van Zandt. The most determined girl at Degrassi. She is determined to get on the morning announcements. She is determined to become valedictorian of her graduating class. She is determined to make JT Yorke her boyfriend.

"Good morning, JT."

"Morning, Liberty."

Liberty walked by JT's locker giving him a smile. He gives her back a confused smile.

Yep, he was going to be hers.

Another A for Liberty Van Zandt. She got her English paper back to reveal another A for the grade book. If only she could make As in math. Well, it wasn't her fault. She had dyscalculia, but no one needed to know about that.

"Another A for Miss Perfect," JT says turning around.

"And what'd you get? Another D for the class clown?"

He made a face and turned back toward the front.

Why did she say that? If she kept making remarks like that she'd never get JT to like her. But, if she told him how she really felt he'd laugh her out of school.

Why does he have to mock her so? Liberty learned some time ago that boys pick on girls they like. Does this mean JT liked her? No, that would be too weird. Except, that's exactly what Liberty wants. So, every time he picks on her, does his class clown routine, Liberty smiles. She smiles, because one day, she knows, he will be hers.

* * *

**I don't know. Very short. I'm not really happy with it, but I wrote it, so I post it. Hope you like it.**


	7. I Hate This Part

**I Hate This Part**

Eli Goldsworthy hated biology. What he hated even more was that he was paired with the new foreign exchange student who didn't speak a lick of English.

"All right, students, for today's experiment we are going to take blood samples of ourselves and examine our DNA," the teacher said, standing at the chalkboard. "I'm only joking. We'll be working with the frogs in this bucket." The teacher passed out the dead frogs in formaldehyde to each set of partners.

"So, do you know what to do?" Eli asked once they were given their frog.

The boy looked at Eli blankly. Of course not. That would require him to speak the language. Too bad Eli didn't speak Russian.

"We take this," Eli held up the knife, "and we cut that." He pointed to the animal on the table lying on its back.

The boy said something in Russian, which of course Eli did not understand.

Eli didn't want to do this. He didn't want to be here. He'd rather be anywhere but here. He'd rather be with his girlfriend, Julia. But, he couldn't be with Julia. Not now and not ever. For his fair Julia had passed away. She was gone and he'd never get to see her again.

"Mr. Goldsworthy, Mr. Yedemsky, you've done absolutely no work." The teacher approached them bringing Eli back to them.

Not able to take it anymore, Eli ran out of the classroom, not caring that his teacher was calling after him and even Yedemsky in whatever he said in Russian.

Eli had transferred to Degrassi Community School to get over the death of his girlfriend, but it wasn't working. He thought about her everywhere. She was everywhere, in his schoolwork, in his sleep, cluttering the recesses of his mind.

"Hey," the red-headed girl greeted him as he sat on a bench in the courtyard trying to clear his head. This was the girl whom he ran over her glasses with his hearse the other day. She said she didn't mind since she had recently gotten laser eye surgery and no longer needed her glasses. That was a good thing since she was fairly pretty without them.

"Hey," he mumbled in reply.

There was something about that girl, he couldn't describe, that drew him to her.

"What are you doing out here?" she asked.

"I didn't feel like being in class."

"And you just think you can skip?"

Eli didn't respond. He watched the girl pull out a notebook and begin to write.

"Aren't you skipping class?" He asked her.

She shook her head and continued writing.

"English assignment. Come out here and write what you see."

Eli glanced over her shoulder.

"You're writing about me."

This time the girl didn't respond.

"The enigmatic boy in the black clothing does not allow himself to open up to anyone," Eli read.

Scribbling more, she still didn't respond.

"'He drives a hearse to school which just adds to his mystery.' Are you just going to tell everyone in your English class everything you know about me?" He didn't know why this bothered him. Oh yeah, because he was "enigmatic" as the girl wrote. "You're not really doing your assignment."

"What?"

"You're supposed to be writing about what you see, not about stuff you already know," Eli answered smugly.

"OK, emo boy."

"'Sitting next to me on the bench in the courtyard the black haired boy criticizes my work.' OK, I guess that does it."

The girl smirked and continued writing. Eli stopped looking over her shoulder. So what if she wrote about him? She didn't mention his name.

"There you are, Mr. Goldsworthy," Ms. Sauvé opened the door from the hallway. "We got a call from your biology teacher that you ran out on class and Mr. Simpson sent me to find you."

"Busted," the girl muttered with a slight smile.

"You know you're not supposed to skip class," Ms. Sauvé said as she ushered Eli back into the building.

"I know," Eli muttered.

"I could give you detention."

"And I would rightfully take it."

"But instead we are going to have a chat." Mrs. Sauvé led Eli to her office.

He knew what she wanted to talk about. It's what everyone wanted to talk about. Everyone except him.

"Tell me, Eli, are you making any friends here?"

A little different beginning, but on the right track.

"You seemed to be pretty friendly with that girl back there."

"We don't really know each other. We only met because I ran over her glasses with my car."

"That's a conversation starter, a way to break the ice."

Eli didn't want to break the ice. He didn't want a conversation starter. He didn't want a new friend. He wanted an old friend. He wanted Julia.

"I can't keep you here any longer than the bell rings, but I really think we should talk about this."

"Why?"

"What you're doing is not healthy."

"What am I doing?"

"You're not doing anything."

"There's nothing wrong with that."

"Yes, there is. You're not living."

"I am."

"You're living in the past, but you're not living living. I think you should make friends with the red head."

"The girl? Why?"

"Her name is Clare Edwards and I think it would be good for you to make a friend."

"I don't need a friend. Friends leave." Eli looked away from Ms. Sauvé. The bell rang. "And now I must leave."

"Eli, we really should talk about this. I'll contact you about setting up a time to meet again."

"No, thanks."

"Think about it and I'll call you later."

* * *

**We all know the girl is Clare, but Eli doesn't (I don't think) so that's why I can't mention her name in the story until Mrs. Sauvé says it.**


	8. That's That

**That's That**

I can't begin to tell you how I developed feelings for Owen Milligan. Owen doesn't have the best reputation at Degrassi. He's known as a womanizer and a bully.

And yet, I can't stop the force that brings my lips to his.

If anyone found out about this my reputation would be ruined and I've worked hard to cultivate that reputation. But, Owen provides me with what I want. He's got everything I need in a man.

I laugh.

"What so funny, Marisol?" He asks me.

"Just thinking of you as a man."

"And you find that funny?"

"Yes, I do."

"You're coming to my basketball game tomorrow?"

"I am on the Power Squad."

"Do you think it'll be okay if I kiss you before the game?"

I quickly sat up. We had been lounging on my bed. OK, not lounging—making out.

"You're embarrassed to be seen with me."

"What? No."

"Then let me kiss you before tomorrow's game!" Owen sat up. "If you don't let me kiss you we're through."

I contemplate the ultimatum Owen had set before me that afternoon. Kiss him before the game in front of the entire Degrassi student body in the gym and ruin my reputation or don't kiss him and lose him. Reputation or Owen? Which did I value more?

I'm not going to do it. No man, especially Owen Milligan, gets in the way of my reputation. I'd rather lose a guy than lose my reputation.

Snuggling deep into the warm covers of my bed I knew I had made the best decision for me. Life is about me, not anyone else.

I avoided him all day. Knowing the answer I didn't want to look into his eyes and be drawn by those powerful lips of his. Oh, ugh, did I just think Owen had powerful lips? No, no, no, no, no. I cannot think this way. He's just a guy. Just a guy. He was nothing important. Just another notch on my belt, not that I thought of guys like that. Owen wasn't just another conquest. I did like him.

But, did I like him enough to ruin my reputation?

And just like that it was almost time for the basketball game against Bardell. I couldn't ignore him any longer. He would walk up to me and ask if I was going to kiss him. My answer? I still did not know.

"Owen's looking for you," Anya said as she entered the gym in her cheerleading outfit. "Is there some reason why he would be?"

"I don't know," I lied. I quickly walked out of the gym toward the boys' locker room.

"I've been looking for you," Owen said. "So?"

"So what?"

"What's your decision? Me or your reputation."

I looked at the floor. I knew exactly what I was going to do.

"My reputation. I'm sorry."

"No, you're not." He solemnly went back inside the locker room.

Thing was, he was right. I wasn't sorry.

* * *

**Writing these one-shots this month has been an interesting experience. They've been fun and challenging. Thank you for taking the time to read my stories.**


End file.
